Battlestar Galactica refers to a "re-imagined" science fiction universe debuting in 2003 and based on the 1970s Universal Studios movie and television franchise of the same name. It is not simply a remake, but a new direction taken from the same premise, analogous to a "reboot" in comic books. The term "re-imagining" has been used to describe the show since its early promotion to differentiate it from the original 1978 series. Image File history File links The cast of Battlestar Galactica. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into theatre. ... Ronald Dowl Moore (born 1964 in Chowchilla, California) is a screenwriter and television producer who is known for his work on Star Trek and is currently executive producer of the new Battlestar Galactica series. ... Edward James Olmos as Commander William Adama on Battlestar Galatica Edward James Olmos (born February 24, 1947) is an American actor. ... Mary McDonnell Mary McDonnell (born April 28, 1952, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) is an Academy Award-nominated American film, stage, and television actress. ... Katee Sackhoff as Capt. ... Jamie St John Bamber Griffith (born April 3, 1973 in Hammersmith, London, UK) is a British actor. ... James Callis. ... Tricia Helfer as Number Six in Battlestar Galactica. ... Grace Park. ... Sci Fi (sometimes rendered Sci-Fi when part of a longer phrase) is an American cable television channel, launched September 24, 1992, specializing in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and paranormal programming. ... December 8 is the 342nd day (343rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 18 is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... The current Universal Studios logo Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures), a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is one of the major American film studios that has production studios and offices located at 100 Universal City Plaza Drive in Universal City, California, an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County between Los... In film, a remake is a newer version of a previously released film or a newer version of the source (play, novel, story, etc. ... Reboot, in series fiction, means to discard all previous continuity in the series and start anew. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, produced in 1978 by Glen Larson and starring Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict. ...

The first production to be set in the re-imagined universe was a miniseries that was first broadcast on the Sci Fi Channel on December 8, 2003. From that followed a regular television series which premiered on Sky One in the UK and Ireland on October 18, 2004 and on Sci Fi Channel in the U.S. on January 14, 2005. A spin-off prequel series called Caprica has been announced. A comic book series was released in 2006 by Dynamite Entertainment, featuring the characters from the re-imagined show. A miniseries (sometimes mini-series), in a serial storytelling medium, is a production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. ... Sci Fi (sometimes rendered Sci-Fi when part of a longer phrase) is an American cable television channel, launched September 24, 1992, specializing in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and paranormal programming. ... December 8 is the 342nd day (343rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Sky One is British Sky Broadcastings flagship entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. ... October 18 is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sci Fi (sometimes rendered Sci-Fi when part of a longer phrase) is an American cable television channel, launched September 24, 1992, specializing in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and paranormal programming. ... United States is the current Good Article Collaboration of the week! Please help to improve this article to the highest of standards. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new organization or entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a new company formed from a university research group. ... Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is one of the best-known prequels. ... Caprica City as depicted in the reimagined series of Battlestar Galactica Caprica is an upcoming television series described as televisions first science fiction family saga, based on the fictional universe of Battlestar Galactica and set on the fictional planet Caprica, around fifty years before the events depicted in the... Dynamite Entertainment is a comic book publisher founded in 2005, first producing two Army of Darkness mini-series published through Devils Due Productions until self-publishing their titles later that year. ...

Overview

The new series departs from the original in several respects. It rejects the traditional televised science fiction styles of Star Trek adopted by the original in favor of what executive producer Ronald D. Moore calls "naturalistic science fiction". In premise, the new series recasts several key characters from male to female and introduces the notion that the Cylons, the cybernetic enemies of the humans, were created by man. In addition to the Cylon Centurions there are also humanoid models that closely mimic a complete human down to the cellular level. The look of the new series also benefits from recent advances in computer-generated imaging and digital special effects. Star Trek is an American science-fiction franchise spanning six television series, ten feature films, hundreds of novels, computer and video games, and other fan stories. ... Ronald Dowl Moore (born 1964 in Chowchilla, California) is a screenwriter and television producer who is known for his work on Star Trek and is currently executive producer of the new Battlestar Galactica series. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The term humanoid refers to any being whose body structure resembles that of a human. ... The pseudopod in The Abyss marked CGIs acceptance in the visual effects industry. ... Lasers were used in the 2005 Classical Spectacular concert Special effects (abbreviated SPFX or SFX) are used in the film, television, and entertainment industry to visualize scenes that cannot be achieved by normal means, such as space travel. ...

Although a small group of purists from the original series' fandom loudly disapproved of changes to the premise, the show was the highest-rated cable miniseries of 2003. In fact, it has been the highest rated original program in the Sci Fi Channel's history. Its strong audience draw was enough to prompt the channel to commission a new ongoing television series, the first episode of which drew an estimated 850,000 viewers—an 8% multichannel viewer share—on its world premiere on Sky One in the UK & Ireland. In the tradition of science fiction series such as Star Trek, the writers use science fiction to examine contemporary social, moral, and ethical issues in allegory. When TV viewers or entertainment professionals in the United States mention ratings they are generally referring to Nielsen Ratings, a system developed by Nielsen Media Research to determine the audience size and composition of television programming. ...

The miniseries and the subsequent weekly series have enjoyed general critical acclaim as being superior to the original, leading TIME magazine to declare in the spring of 2005 that the new show was one of the six best drama series on television. It would proclaim the series the best show on television in September of the same year. The American Film Institute named the show to its list of the ten best shows on television. Other mainstream publications such as the Chicago Tribune, Rolling Stone magazine, and Newsday also named the series one of the best on television for 2005. In 2006, the series won a prestigious Peabody Award in recognition of its creative excellence. (Clockwise from upper left) Notable Time magazine covers from the dates May 7, 1945; July 20, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ... The American Film Institute (AFI) is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act. ... The Chicago Tribune, formerly self-styled as the Worlds Greatest Newspaper, remains one of the principal daily newspapers of the midwestern United States. ... Rolling Stone is an American magazine devoted to music, politics and popular culture. ... Newsday is a daily tabloid-size newspaper which primarily serves Long Island and the New York City borough of Queens, although it is sold throughout the greater New York City metropolitan area. ... The George Foster Peabody Awards, more commonly known as simply the Peabody Awards, are annual international awards given for excellence in radio and television broadcasting and cable television. ...

Re-imagining

North American DVD release of the first season.

ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (430x602, 58 KB) Summary 2005 DVD release, Universal Pictures. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (430x602, 58 KB) Summary 2005 DVD release, Universal Pictures. ...

History

Previous efforts to remake or continue the story of Battlestar Galactica by Tom DeSanto, Bryan Singer, and original series star Richard Hatch involved using either the original cast or the original characters and plot. None of these projects proceeded beyond the development stage. Tom Desanto (born in New Jersey is an American film director. ... Bryan Singer (born September 17, 1965) is an American film director. ... Richard Hatch (b. ...

Ronald D. Moore, executive producer and screenwriter of the new Battlestar Galactica, wrote in February 2003: "Here lies a slumbering giant, its name known to many, its voice remembered by but a few. For a brief moment, it strode the Earth, telling tall tales of things that never were, then stumbled over a rating point and fell into a deep sleep." He tackled the re-imagining with realism in mind, portraying the show's heroes as being part of a "flawed" humanity. Those flaws include Adama and his son harboring resentment toward one another, Colonel Tigh's alcoholism and deep personal demons, and an outdated battlestar prone to problems and outside sabotage. The muted special effects are without the unscientific sounds commonplace in most television and film science fiction. Comparatively realistic Newtonian physics and the use of bullets and missiles instead of energy weapons such as lasers also make the re-imagining stand out. Executive producer is a role in the entertainment industry that is sometimes difficult to define clearly. ... Screenwriters, scenarists or script writers, are authors who write the screenplays from which movies and television programs are made. ... 2003 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December A timeline of events in the news for February, 2003. ... Sir Isaac Newton, FRS (4 January 1643 – 31 March 1727) [OS: 25 December 1642 – 20 March 1727][1] was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, alchemist, and natural philosopher who is generally regarded as one of the greatest scientists and mathematicians in history. ... Experiment using a (likely argon) laser. ...

Ronald D. Moore has admitted that the miniseries and series drew inspiration from the tragic events of 9/11 and its aftermath. The shows feature elements such as "sleeper" agents, the threat of sneak terrorist attacks using civilian transports, Cylon suicide bombers, the torture of prisoners, and a struggle motivated by intense religious differences. Episode thirteen of the second season featured political activists attempting to use sabotage against the fleet to force "peace talks" with the Cylons. The towers burn shortly after United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower on the right. ...

Comparison with the 1978 series

Main article: Comparison of Battlestar Galactica (1978) and Battlestar Galactica (2003)

Among the most notable changes made from the older series are the inclusion of Cylon models which mimic humans and numerous characters who are of a different race or gender. Human culture is made to closely resemble contemporary 21st century Western culture, with names and costuming often indistinguishable from other television shows. Human technology is deliberately retro, which is explained as a military necessity given Cylon tactical advantages. The tone is also changed from a heroic fantasy to a more naturalistic survival narrative with many allusions, both subtle and obvious, to current events. The new 2003 Battlestar Galactica miniseries and subsequent television series were a significant re-imagining and departure from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica. ... The 21st century is the present century of the Gregorian calendar. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... modern retro wallpaper Retro, short for retrospective, is a modern term used to describe things from a bygone era. ... For other meanings see Naturalism. ...

References to modern culture

The re-imagined show references many aspects of modern culture and the military. The original Cylon attack plays upon post-9/11 fears; frequent outbreaks of xenophobia and fear of Cylon "sleeper agents" mirror current fears of terrorist "sleeper cells" in Europe and North America. In one episode, a Cylon android blows itself up in a successful suicide bombing attempt. In the first episode of the series, 33, Apollo and Starbuck are ordered to destroy a civilian transport attempting a suicide attack on Galactica, having serious ethical ramifications later. The show has also addressed other issues, such as abortion and the morality of prisoner torture. The towers burn shortly after United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower on the right. ...

Miniseries (2003)

Main article: Battlestar Galactica (TV miniseries)

The cover from the North American DVD release of the miniseries. ...

Regular television series (2004)

Main article: Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)

Battlestar Galactica is a science fiction television series created by Ronald D. Moore that first aired on October 18, 2004 in the UK & Ireland on Sky One, and January 14, 2005 in North America on the Sci Fi Channel. ...

"Caprica" prequel

Main article: Caprica (TV series)

Caprica City as depicted in the reimagined series of Battlestar Galactica Caprica is an upcoming television series described as televisions first science fiction family saga, based on the fictional universe of Battlestar Galactica and set on the fictional planet Caprica, around fifty years before the events depicted in the...

Episodes and DVD/online download information

Main article: List of Battlestar Galactica (Re-imagined series) episodes

For the first season, thirteen episodes were produced and all have been made available on DVD in the United States and United Kingdom. The second season consists of twenty episodes, all of which have been released on DVD in the UK and ten of which have been released on DVD in the United States. A third season has been greenlighted for 20 episodes, and begins October 6, 2006 on the Sci-Fi channel in the United States. North American DVD release of the first season. ... DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) is an optical disc storage media format that can be used for data storage, including movies with high video and sound quality. ... To greenlight a project, in the context of the movie business, is to formally approve production finance, thereby allowing the project to move forward from the development phase to pre-production and, barring disasters, principal photography. ... October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In January, 2006, Apple's iTunes began offering the miniseries, season one, and season two episodes for purchase on its service. NBC Universal, the owner and distributor of the show, has provided a number of its shows for purchase to U.S. customers, to be released the day after the original broadcast.[2] All episodes of the series, as well as the miniseries, are available. Apple Computer, Inc. ... The French iTunes law is the nickname given by some Anglo-American news sources to the DADVSI act. ... NBC Universal is a media and entertainment conglomerate formed in May 2004 by the combination of General Electrics NBC with Vivendi Universal Entertainment, part of Vivendi Universal. ...

Downloadable podcasts for some episodes of season one and all episodes of season two are also available via iTunes and SciFi.com. SciFi.com also usually has an episode available for viewing on the website. Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio or video programs, over the Internet using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. ...

Notes

1. ↑  Although it is funded and produced by American (and, in the case of the first season, British) companies, Battlestar Galactica is filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Many of the stars (including Grace Park, Tricia Helfer, Michael Hogan and Tahmoh Penikett) are Canadian. Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, and Katee Sackhoff are American, while James Callis and Jamie Bamber are British. The vast majority of the secondary actors (e.g. Alessandro Juliani, Nicki Clyne and Kandyse McClure), extras, and day players are hired from within Canada, as are many guest-stars (most notably Donnelly Rhodes, who has a recurring role as the ship's chain-smoking doctor and Lorena Gale, who had a recurring role as the religious figure and advisor Elosha).

Vancouver (pronounced: ) is a Canadian city in the province of British Columbia. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages none stated in law; English is de facto Flower Pacific dogwood Tree Western Redcedar Bird Stellers Jay Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 36 6... Grace Park is the name of at least two well-known women: Grace Park, an Canadian actress of Korean descent. ... Tricia Helfer as Number Six in Battlestar Galactica. ... Michael Hogan (born ? in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian actor. ... Tahmoh Penikett (born May 20, 1975 in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada) is a Canadian actor. ... Edward James Olmos as Commander William Adama on Battlestar Galatica Edward James Olmos (born February 24, 1947) is an American actor. ... Mary McDonnell Mary McDonnell (born April 28, 1952, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) is an Academy Award-nominated American film, stage, and television actress. ... Katee Sackhoff as Capt. ... James Callis. ... Jamie St John Bamber Griffith (born April 3, 1973 in Hammersmith, London, UK) is a British actor. ... Alessandro Juliani is a Canadian actor and singer. ... Nicki Clyne (born February 11, 1983 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) is a Canadian actress. ... Kandyse McClure (b. ... Donnelly Rhodes (born December 4, 1937 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) is a Canadian actor. ... Lorena Gale at a science fiction convention Lorena Gale (born May 9, 1958 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada) is a Canadian actress, director, and writer. ... Elosha is a character from the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series. ...

See also

• Galactica 1980, the 1980 series
• Battlestar Galactica (video game)

Opening sequence for Galactica 1980 Galactica 1980 is a science-fiction television series, and a spin-off from the 1978-1979 series Battlestar Galactica. ... See also: 1979 in television, other events of 1980, 1981 in television and the list of years in television. For the American network television schedule, please see 1980-81 American network television schedule. ... In 1978, Mattel released a handheld electronic game called Battlestar Galactica Space Alert based on the original Battlestar Galactica movie and television series. ...

References

• David Bassom's Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion (Titan Books 2006, ISBN 1-84576-097-2)

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Battlestar Galactica (2003)

• Official Blog of series developer, executive producer, main writer, and show runner Ron D. Moore
• The Battlestar Galactica DVD Official Universal Studios Site
• Miniseries at the Internet Movie Database
• Regular series at the Internet Movie Database
• Scifi Channel miniseries site
• Scifi Channel regular series site
• bsgtns.com- Active revamp of the first BSG new series fansite, galactica2003.com
• Battlestar Galactica 2003 at EPisodeWorld.com
• Battlestar Galactica Wiki
• HollywoodNorthReport.com Flight Deck News
• Piracy is Good?: How Battlestar Galactica Killed Broadcast TV, Mindjack, (May 13, 2005)
• Official Battlestar Galactica CCG site
• [3] Dynamite Entertainment -- publisher of Battlestar Galactica Comic Book Series
• Rocket Man: Jamie Bamber and the Queering of Sci-Fi August 2006 Out magazine cover story
• Colonial Defense Forces